The
Fundamentals of Residential Solar Electricity

Residential
solar power
is usually seen as an investment. The fact
that it is
a kind of electricity that helps cut
down on electricity bills is a big
reason why many people consider it as an investment. People who may be
interested in having power in their homes that does not bring about air
pollution, has no noise, and does not need maintenance will love
electricity produced by solar power.

Renewable Solar Energy

A solar
electrical system is absolutely renewable---meaning that
it
will never run out. That kind of system is also environment friendly
because it aids in the reduction of greenhouse gases and other
pollutants. People who are nature lovers and believe in going green
will definitely place the
solar powered system on the top of their list.

The
energy gained from a solar electrical system is more often than not
called the photovoltaic energy. A solar electrical system may also be
referred to as a photovoltaic system. The system is able to give direct
current (DC) electricity through freed up electrons that result from
the combination of the photons from sunlight and the silicon atoms from
solar panels that are made from semiconductor materials. A standard
photovoltaic system may also be composed of an inverter
and
batteries
aside from solar panels.

Some people
may
wonder why there is the need for an inverter in a solar
powered system. Since there are two types of electricity, namely:
direct current electricity (DC) and alternate current electricity (AC),
there is a need to convert either of the two into the second form.

Photovoltaic Power Benefits

For
example, most
of the appliances in the household use AC
electricity. Since DC electricity is produced by a solar electrical
system, the inverter needs to convert it into AC electricity to give
power to the appliances in your house. DC electricity may only be used
by small appliances like flashlights, rechargeable lamps, etc.
Inverters are of two types: the UPS inverter which relies on batteries,
and the Grid-tied inverter which relies on the utility grid to store
power.

Many
people may
also be curious about the total amount of power that a photovoltaic
system may be able to provide. The answer, of course, lies
on the size of your system. The total amount of electricity a user
needs regularly and the total amount of sunlight in his location will
also affect the amount of power that a solar powered system will be
able to give. It is more feasible to say that the most effective system
is one that is used to support around 50% to 75% of the total amount of
power your household needs.

If
you feel that energy conservation
is important and if you want to be able to save more, residential
solar power
may be a good idea. Right now, more and more people feel
the need to use a solar
powered system in supporting most of their
homes' electricity needs. Who would blame them, when the truth is that
gaining electricity from a solar powered system is a money saver.